Monday, November 3, 2008

Sid and Marilyn's wedding

Marilyn and I got married on a Saturday because that was the only day of the week that I could get leave from the United States Navy. You will recall that during all of 1942 I was stationed at the recruiting station in Des Moines, Iowa. Marilyn's family had close friends in Des Moines. She would take the bus from Cedar Rapids to Des Moines and while there would stay with these close friends. In her late June visit she really put the pressure on me to get married. I was reluctant, due partially at least to the opposition of my two aunts, my mother's sisters. Marilyn ignored my objections and made plans for a wedding on July 19, 1942 in the chapel of the First Methodist Church in Cedar Rapids.

Time progressed and I became more and more uneasy about assuming the responsibilities of married life, particularly since I was having a very fine time with the nightlife in Des Moines.

However, the intervening period leading up to the ceremomy continually became shorter and on the 18th of July - the day prior to the wedding, and I arrived on the late train to Cedar Rapids.

For the 19th the proclaimed date of the nuptial ceremony, Marilyn had chosen her best girlfriend as the maid of honor. I had chosen my brother Bill to be my best man. As I waited in the ante-room in the chapel, I noted there was a passageway leading to the outside world and the temptation was strong to run out into the outside world and call the whole thing off. Obviously, I did not. In short order, Hayes Sidney King and Marilyn Elizabeth Ingham became a married couple.

After a short reception, we borrowed the Ingham family Buick and drove through the afternoon to Des Moines where we took up residence in an efficiency apartment. I had to return to duy on Monday pounding the government typewriter and enlisting Iowa farm boys as sailors in the United States Navy.

As I had mentioned above, Des Moines as the largest city in Iowa, was noted for its taverns and bars selling liquor by the drink, contrary to the laws of the state. I must say that Marilyn and I were not tee-totalers and really did partake of as much of the nightlife as our finances would allow.

Incidentally at this point I should note that I was earning more money as a yeoman third and second class than I did while teaching school.

Actually I think I remember that Aunt Nelle, who had a master's degree from Columbia, told Sid that she would pay for Sid to get an M.A. in History from the University of Pennsylvania if he DIDN'T marry my mother. Well, it would have been nice if Sid had gone on to become a college professor, but on the other hand I wouldn't be sitting here right now . . .

I'm just wondering now about some details. Who WAS Marilyn's best girlfriend, what was her name, and what ever became of her?

When was it that Marilyn had the skull fracture? Did you propose to her when she was in the hospital, or did I just make that up?

And when did you join the Navy, before or after Pearl Harbor?

And here are some questions that you might not be able to answer. Serena scanned in a bunch of pictures taken in 1939 of 2010 First Avenue, but it's not the backyard I remember. There seems to be a pretty little garden shed where I remember the "lower garage" being. When did they build the "lower garage"? And when did they fill in the goldfish pond? I remember hearing about it, but I don't have any memories of it. You remember that I spent a lot of time at 2010 while you were in the Pacific, and I still dream about it really often . . .